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Sequels are very rarely as good as the movies that they follow. This has been proven so many times in recent years by so many studios. DC and Marvel have both proven this time and again with their big name franchises. DC and Legendary proved that with its recent Batman franchise. Marvel Studios’ first Spiderman trilogy was just one victim of that curse. Now Marvel Studios has once again fallen victim to the “curse of the sequel” with its latest big screen offering, Thor: The Dark World. This action packed late year blockbuster has plenty going for it. Its special effects and its ability to balance its science fiction and fantasy elements are both positives. The acting on the part of both Chris Hemsworth and Tim Hiddleston makes the movie even more fun. However, it is hardly perfect. It has one major issue that will be its downfall in the long run. That one glaring negative is the story’s overall writing. The movie itself clocks in at just under two hours. However, because of the writing, it feels quite a bit longer. As much positive as this movie has going for it, this one issue alone is going to ultimately be what keeps this movie from being one of Marvel’s most memorable offerings.

Thor: The Dark World is hardly the year’s best movie or even one of the year’s best. To its defense, it isn’t the year’s worst movie, either. One can openly admit about this sequel to Marvel Studios’ 2011 hit Thor, that it has some extremely impressive special effects. From the backdrops to the fight scenes and one chase scene in particular, those charged with making the movie’s special effects work are deserving of applause. It goes without saying that much of the movie was crafted using green screen effects. That aside, those backdrops that were crafted by computer look just as impressive as those that were actually shot live. Adding to that was the ability of those behind the cameras to blend the CG backgrounds with actual sets and shooting locales. The computer generated effects in both cases never once felt overblown. The same can be said of the effects used in the movie’s many fight scenes and the chase scene that follows Jane’s breakout from the palace early in the story. Even the finest of details were tuned to make the special effects in each case collectively an effective part of the overall presentation.

The work done by those behind the cameras to keep Thor: The Dark World from being little more than another special effects extravaganza is very much an applause worthy aspect of this movie. Their ability to balance its live action and CG elements is one of the most important aspects of the movie’s success, limited as that success proves to be in the grand scheme of things. The ability of all involved to balance the movie’s fantasy and science fiction elements is just as important to the overall product. Those that are less familiar with Marvel’s take on the God of Thunder and the first movie in his franchise might go into the movie thinking it will be just another fantasy epic a la The Hobbit and The Lord of The Rings. Those same individuals are sure to be pleasantly surprised to see both elements smoothly combined. On a bigger level, it shows once again how easy it is to blur genre lines on both the big screen and small screen, and how to do it right for that matter.

The balance of live action and CG elements and that of sci-fi and fantasy elements make Thor: The Dark World one more release that comic book fans of any age should see at least once. They aren’t all that make the movie worth at least a single watch. The acting on the part of lead stars Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston also plays into the movie’s overall success, as limited as that success proves to be. The duo’s chemistry has visibly grown over the course of the two movies in which it has already starred—Thor and The Avengers. Their chemistry has developed so much and so well that it makes suspension of disbelief that much easier in watching the pair interact. Whether on the verge of taking one another down, Thor having to endure Loki’s wisecracking, or other situations, Hiddleston and Hemsworth make for one of the movie industry’s better modern day odd couples for lack of better wording. There has been much talk as to whether or not Loki will be back in the already anticipated third movie in the Thor franchise. If he should be back once more, it goes without saying that his pairing with Hemsworth will be one more welcome addition to the movie’s cast.

As one can tell by now, there is plenty to applaud in Marvel Studios’ Thor: The Dark World. For all of its positives, this movie is anything but perfect. The one area in which this movie fails is also its most important. That area is the story’s script/writing. The movie’s script is one more prime example of what happens when there are too many hands in the proverbial pot. No fewer than four individuals worked together to develop the script for this work. The end result is a near two hour movie that feels a lot longer and schmaltzier than it should have been. The script’s first problem is the tired and overly used issue of a character trying to find his place in his world and in the universe. The character in question is Thor. Audiences see him emotionally struggling to figure out where he belongs in Asgard and trying to balance that with his feelings for his love interest, Jane, who is once again played by Natalie Portman. This is hardly the first time that audiences have ever seen this used. The whole brooding character bit has already been done just this year alone in Man of Steel. The end result of that was a movie that was met with mixed results. Audiences will be just as mixed with this movie as a result of having Thor brooding in much the same style.

Thor’s brooding nature this time out is just one of the problems with Thor 2’s script. Just as much a problem with this script is the fact that it feels more like one extended fight sequence than an actual movie with a story. There are some story elements tossed in for good measure. But it seems like action sequences dominate the script. This is evident right from the moment that Jane is “saved” from her room at the palace. From that moment on, the movie’s pace goes near full speed. There are few breaks in that action, too. The problem with this is that it forces audiences to struggle to even hope to keep up with what’s going on. The story’s pace is that rapid fire. The even bigger problem is that it goes on at that pace straight through to the final moments of the movie’s epic final battle between Thor and Malekith. That final battle is the final nail in the coffin for the movie. It simply runs too long. It is the final nail in the movie’s coffin. This and Thor’s brooding sub-story take away enough from all of the movie’s positives to ultimately make it one more of Marvel Studios’ largely forgettable films. One can only hope that when it finally hits theaters, the franchise’s third film will make up for this movie and its predecessor. Simply put, this movie is worth at least one watch. But it’s more worth one watch on Netflix or Redbox than in theaters.

1.The Artist: While it originally made its debut overseas in 2011, it wasn’t until January 20th of this year that The Artist actually made its nationwide debut in theaters across the U.S. Before then, only the lucky few at the big festivals got to see it. That being the case, it should be considered a 2012 release. So what makes it 2012’s best? So much could be said. At a time when so much of what Hollywood churns out is prequels, sequels, and remakes, this story—distributed by Sony Pictures—went the total opposite. How simple and ingenious is it to make a silent film in a movie of major flash-bang-boom films? Because the movie’s only sound is its music, viewers are forced to watch. And the cast was force to really put on its best possible performance, rather than rely on everything else that most movies use to distract audiences from poor performances. The music is quite enjoyable, too. And of course, the general cinematography is just as impressive. It all combines to make for a movie that any movie lover should see at least once.

2.Mirror, Mirror: Some of you might shake your heads at this pick. But the reality is that this is really a fun and family friendly movie. Both boys and girls will enjoy it as will parents. While young Lily Collins (the daughter of superstar Phil Collins) is billed as the lead star here, it’s the dwarves who are really the story’s stars. Their antics make for more than their share of laughs. Though watching Prince Alcott (Armie Hammer—The Lone Ranger) put under the evil queen’s puppy love spell is pretty funny, too. It’s obvious that this spoof of the classic fairy tale was aimed both at boys and girls. With its mix of wit and charm, it will always be one of the best takes on the old Snow White story.

Courtesy: Disney Studios

3. The Odd Life of Timothy Green: This is another truly enjoyable family movie. The general story is one to which any parent can relate and will enjoy because of that. Though the concept of what happens with Timothy might be a little bit tough to discuss with younger viewers. The beautiful backdrop adds even more warmth to the story. And the cast’s acting makes suspension of disbelief so easy. Sure it’s sappy, emotional, and all that jazz. But that can be forgiven as it’s such an original and heartwarming story.

Courtesy: 20th Century Fox

4. Skyfall: This is where things begin to get a little bit touchy. Skyfall is by far the best Bond flick to come along in a very long time. That’s not to say that the previous two were bad. But this one brought back memories of the old school James Bond that everybody knows. It’s got the gadgets and the humor and none of the melodrama that weighed down the previous two Bond flicks. The only downside to the movie is that it tends to drag in the final act. Other than that, it is a nice return to form for the Bond franchise and gives hope for any future Bond films….that is at least if Christopher Nolan doesn’t get his hands on the franchise.

Courtesy: Marvel Studios/Walt Disney Video

5. The Avengers: The Avengers was a very nice way to cap off the build-up created by Marvel Studios with the recent bevy of comic book based movies. It had great special effects. Its story was simple and solid. And the shooting was equally impressive. Considering all the action going on, audiences weren’t left feeling dizzy to the point of wanting to walk out (or in the case of home release, just turn it off). But like so many ensemble cast movies, it suffered from a common problem. That problem was the movie’s run time. Most of the characters in The Avengers had already been introduced through their own separate movies. So there was no reason to re-introduce them all over again this time. A lot of that extra time could have been spared. Hopefully those involved have learned from that and will present viewers with a shorter movie in the second of the Avengers movies.

Courtesy: Warner Brothers Home Video

6. The Dark Knight Rises: I am just as much a comic book fan as anyone else out there. So it goes without saying that I was excited to see this movie. It did a good job of wrapping up the trilogy. The problem is that it did too much of a good job, as David Goyer and the Nolans tried too hard to cram everything into one movie. Word is that this latest installment of the Batman franchise left many people checking their watches when it was in theaters. It might have been better served to have been split up into at least one more movie because of everything added into the mix. And having what seems to be a lack of commentary on the new home release, fans can only guess what the logic was in cramming so much into one story. Much like The Avengers, the shooting and the special effects were great. So it has that going for it. But the writing was the story’s big problem. Here’s to hoping that whoever takes over the Batman franchise next (whenever it’s re-launched) won’t make the same mistake as Christopher Nolan and company.

Courtesy: 20th Century Fox

7. Prometheus: This semi-prequel to Ridley Scott’s hit Alien franchise was met with mixed reviews. There seemed to be no gray area here. Audiences either loved it or hated it. Truth be told, it worked quite well as both a prequel and as its very own stand-alone movie. Sure the special effects are different from those used in the original movies. But times are different. So viewers should take that into account. And the shooting was just as impressive. While it may not be as memorable as Scott’s previous works, at least audiences can agree that it’s better than the movies in the AvP franchise.

Courtesy: Universal Pictures

8. Les Miserables: This latest reboot of Victor Hugo’s classic story of love and redemption in one of history’s darkest eras is not bad. But it’s not great, either. Audiences who know the stage play will thrill at how director Tom Hooper (The King’s Speech) and his staff of writers paid tribute to the stage play both in its writing and its shooting. At the same time, Hooper tried so hard to pay tribute with his shooting style and the transitions that the whole movie felt dizzying to say the least. The shooting and transitions felt like nothing more than a bunch of cuts from one shot to the next. There was never a total sense of fluidity anywhere in the story. It was almost as if despite staying true to the stage play, the script for this latest big screen adaptation was written by someone with ADHD. Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway did a superior job with their performances. But despite that, odds are that the movie will sadly be remembered more for its flawed shooting and transitions than for its award-worthy performances. Nonetheless, it’s still a good movie for any fan of Les Miserables or for fans of musicals in general to see at least once.

9. Salmon Fishing in the Yemen: Salmon Fishing in the Yemen is without a doubt an original story. It’s next to impossible to find anything like it out there or present. But it suffers greatly from an identity crisis. It doesn’t know whether it wants to be a drama, a romance, or a little bit of both. It’s nice to see the simple message of something as simple as fishing being able to bring the world’s people together peacefully. But it really seemed to let the romance factor get too much involved. As a result, it got bogged down in itself. Had it not had the romance subplot, it might have been better.

Courtesy: Lionsgate

10. Arbitrage: It was once noted that three factors more than any other are the causes of crime. Those factors are: money, power, and sex. Arbitrage has all three of these. It’s an interesting movie. And it definitely wastes no time noting the latter of the trio of factors, as it lets audiences know that Robert Miller (Richard Gere) is having an affair with another woman. And also, Miller’s boss has a very firm talk with him early on letting him know that he knows about the financial inaccuracies that he’s causing. It doesn’t take long to know where this story goes. It’s something of a tried and true story. Add in this critic’s pet peeve of movies, the “whisper scenes” and it makes for a movie that as good as it is it could have been better. For those wondering, the “whisper scene” is exactly as it sounds (bad pun there). The “whisper scene” is one in which actors essentially whisper throughout the scene against overpowering music to make the scene more emotional and powerful. But put against the sudden transition to normal volume scenes (and above normal volume scenes), it becomes rather annoying as one has to constantly change the volume on one’s TV as a result of that. It’ll be interesting to see if it gets the Golden Globe for which it was nominated.

There you have it folks. That is my personalist of the year’s ten best major motion pictures. You are more than welcome to share whether you agree or disagree and what your top 10 list would look like. 2013’s already shaping up to be an interesting year. As the movies start to come out, I’ll have reviews of them, too. To keep up with the latest entertainment reviews and news, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it or its companion page, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Reel-Reviews/381028148587141. Fans can always keep up with the latest entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

The Expendables 2 is a man movie, hands down. Yes, it’s another sequel. But it’s more than just that. It’s an escape. It’s exactly what a big budget action blockbuster should be. Just as was the case with the action movies of the 80’s to which this franchise pays homage, it’s a chance for the intended audiences to turn off their brains and get away from the real world if only for about an hour and a half.

On the surface, The Expendables 2 is just another bang-bang shoot-em-up action flick aimed at one specific audience. But in watching the bonus feature, “Big Guns, Bigger Heroes: The 1980’s and the Rise of the Action Film”, audiences see that it’s more than just that. As the individuals interviewed in this feature note, the action flick of the 1980’s was exactly what audiences needed in comparison to everything going on around them. Having come off the back end of the political upheaval of the 1970’s, the 1980’s offered its own share of changes. So the action franchises of the 80’s (and 90’s) and their stars became more than just figures on screen. They became these larger than life figures who lived up to the reputation of the title, “Hero.” They were figures to whom their audiences could admire. Audiences of the 80’s needed heroes, just as today’s audiences need them, too.

The political and general world climate today openly necessitates the need for the movies in The Expendables franchise and their heroes. Stallone and company shine just as brightly in this franchise as they did in the respective franchises discussed in the movie’s main bonus feature. They are just as much the heroes today as they were in the movies discussed in this movie’s main bonus feature. They are still those larger than life figures. And there’s no doubt about them being heroes. Unlike so many of today’s movies, there are no flawed, conflicted, anti-hero types. The Expendables 2 presents Stallone and company as classic style heroes. To add to that clarity, audiences are also presented with a cut and dry story here. Everyone knows right off the bat who the good guys are. And it doesn’t take long for the script to reveal Jean-Claude Van Damme as the evil psycho bad guy. His intentions are made clear pretty quickly, too. Considering that this movie (without credits) runs just shy of the two-hour mark, the quick establishment of the cast and story make the rest of it fast moving and fun. It’s not meant to be taken seriously, as is evident with all the classic one-liners. It’s just a chance for audiences to escape the stresses of the outside world for a little while just as the classic action franchises of the 80’s were meant to do. Keeping that in mind, anyone who wants to get away from it all for a couple hours (bonus features included), then The Expendables 2 is a very good way to do just that. It will be available next Tuesday, November 20th, just in time to beat the holiday shopping rush. For those who want to get away from the shopping rush, it can be ordered online direct via the Lionsgate store at http://www.lionsgateshop.com.